50 Fabulous Knit Aran Stitches

An ardent collector of knit patterns, Rita Weiss was always fascinated with the beautiful Aran sweaters that supposedly came from the Aran Islands off the coast of Ireland. She loved the stories that accompanied them and the idea that each stitch had a special meaning. Even though historians now are saying the stories were all a myth used as a marketing tool, Rita never stopped loving the patterns. She shares 50 favorites here. Each can be worked in any yarn you choose, either in "multiples" (the number of stitches needed to complete one unit of the pattern) or in "panels" with a specific stitch count. Patterns include Cathedral Cables, Rapunzel's Cable, Tied Ropes, Desert Sand, Blarney Kiss, Quilted Cables, Diamond Windows, and more.